CHICAGO: A study suggests that cutting salt intake by one teaspoon daily can help reduce blood pressure in human body.
In the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers from different renowned universities examined the salt intake and blood pressure of 213 individuals from ages 50 to 75 for three weeks.
The researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Northwestern Medicine and the University of Alabama for the first week, measured the participant’s blood pressure while they took their normal diets.
During the second week they measured the blood pressure while they were consuming high-sodium diet. Then, for the last week, they examined individuals’ blood pressure while they were on a low-sodium diet.
Co-principal investigator Norrina Allen, professor of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in a statement said that 70% to 75% of individuals saw reduction in their blood pressure levels, irrespective of whether they were already on medication.
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In the study, it was also found that participants’ blood pressure reduced in the week after they took the low-sodium diet.
She said the products used in the low-sodium diet are easily available. During the low-sodium diet, participants cut their salt consumption by about 1 teaspoon a day.
According to Ashchi Heart and Vascular Center, 1 teaspoon of salt equals 2,300 mg of sodium.
Centers for Disease Control says many people must take medicines to keep their blood pressure at healthy levels. High blood pressure can enhance person’s chances of developing heart disease or having a heart attack.
